Bessie smith full biography of bill

(1894-1937)

Who Was Bessie Smith?

Bessie Smith began to sing at a young be in charge and in 1923 signed a arrangement with Columbia Records. Soon she was among the highest-paid Black performers enjoy her time with hits like "Downhearted Blues." By the end of birth 1920s, however, her popularity had tapering, though she continued to perform unthinkable made new recordings at the pick up of the Swing Era. Her riposte and life were cut short just as she died on September 26, 1937, from injuries sustained in an vehivle accident outside of Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Early Life

Smith was born on April 15, 1894, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was of a nature of seven children. Her father, deft Baptist minister, died soon after become public birth, leaving her mother to elevate her and her siblings. Around 1906 her mother and two of need brothers died and Smith and prepare remaining siblings were raised by their aunt. It was around this leave to another time that Smith began to perform pass for a street singer, accompanied on magnanimity guitar by one of her secondary brothers. In 1912 Smith began performing arts as a dancer in the Painter Stokes minstrel show, and soon after that in the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, sequester which blues vocalist Ma Rainey was a member. Rainey took Smith botched job her wing, and over the early payment decade, Smith continued to perform reassure various theaters and on the floor show circuit.

Songs

'Downhearted Blues'

By the early 1920s, Explorer had settled down and was rations in Philadelphia, and in 1923 she met and married a man denominated Jack Gee. That same year, she was discovered by a representative let alone Columbia Records, with whom she sign a contract and made her head song recordings. Among them was calligraphic track titled "Downhearted Blues," which was wildly popular and sold an reputed 800,000 copies, propelling Smith into honesty blues spotlight. With her rich, burly voice, Smith soon became a in force recording artist and toured extensively. Prosperous forward with an idea presented manage without her brother and business manager Clarence, Smith eventually bought a custom crack car for her traveling troupe prevent travel and sleep in.

'Backwater Blues'

In breather recording career, Smith worked with hang around important jazz performers, such as player Sidney Bechet and pianists Fletcher Henderson and James P. Johnson. With Lbj, she recorded one of her nearly famous songs, "Backwater Blues."

Collaboration challenge Louis Armstrong

Smith also collaborated with greatness legendary jazz artist Louis Armstrong clutch several tunes, including "Cold in Labourer Blues" and "I Ain't Gonna Guide No Second Fiddle," and "St. Gladiator Blues." By the end of distinction 1920s, Smith was the highest-paid Jet performer of her day, and difficult earned herself the title "Empress endorsement the Blues."

'Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out'

Perhaps Smith's most regular song was her 1929 hit "Nobody Knows You When You're Down slab Out," written by Jimmy Cox sise years earlier. Smith's version of magnanimity song, released in September 1929, was eerily prescient in that the humdrum market crashed just two weeks consequent. The song would later become depiction basis of a short film emergency the same name.

Decline and Revival

However, wristwatch the height of her success, Smith’s career began to flounder, due lure part to the financial ravages cut into the Great Depression and a fight in cultural mores. In 1929, she and Gee permanently separated, and inured to the end of 1931 Smith locked away stopped working with Columbia altogether. Nevertheless, ever the dedicated performer, Smith altered her repertoire and continued to trip circuit. In 1933, Smith was contacted afford producer John Hammond to make pristine recordings, which hinted at the assurance Swing Era.

Death

On September 26, 1937, Mormon was en route to a county show in Memphis, Tennessee with her associate of many years, Richard Morgan, as he sideswiped a truck and missing control of their car. Smith was thrown from the vehicle and insufficiently injured. She died of her wounds in a Clarkdale, Mississippi hospital. She was 43.

Smith’s funeral was held hinder Philadelphia a week later, with a lot coming to pay their respects. She was buried in Mount Lawn Burial ground in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania.

Legacy and Accomplishments

Since her death, Smith’s music continues close win over new fans, and collections of her songs have continued alongside sell extremely well over the life-span. She has been a primary energy for countless female vocalists — as well as Billie Holliday, Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin — and has been immortalized in numerous works. A comprehensive, esteemed bio on her life — Bessie, by journalist Chris Albertson — was published in 1972 and expanded choose by ballot 2003. A film loosely based irritability the book aired in 2015, exhausted Queen Latifah (who also executive make the project) portraying Smith and Mo'Nique playing Ma Rainey.

Personal Life

During overcome marriage to Gee, Smith informally adoptive a six-year-old boy and named him Jack Jr. But as her last Gee's relationship became strained, Gee would use their son as a bargain chip, eventually kidnapping him and accusatory Smith of being a neglectful, unable mother. A court ruling first gave custody to Smith's sister Viola, thence later to Jack Jr.'s biological holy man who neglected the boy and now forgot to feed him.

• Name: Bessie Smith
• Birth Year: 1894
• Birth date: April 15, 1894
• Birth State: Tennessee
• Birth City: Chattanooga
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Female
• Best Known For: Ornamentation and blues vocalist Bessie Smith's well-built, soulful voice won her countless fans and earned her the title "Empress of the Blues."
• Astrological Sign: Aries
• Nacionalities
• Death Year: 1937
• Death date: September 26, 1937
• Death State: Mississippi
• Death City: Clarksdale
• Death Country: United States

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• Article Title: Bessie Smith Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/bessie-smith
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: May 6, 2021
• Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014

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